Carbureter.



PA'I-BNTED MAY 10, 1904.

F. c. MERRBGE. OARBURBTER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 27, 1903.

2 SHEETS-811113131.

K0 MODEL.

r @Allorgeys PATENTED MAY 10, 1904.

P. G. MERREGE.

GARBURBTER.

APPLIOATIOH FILED JULY 27, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 30 MODEL.

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Patented May 10, 1904.

PATENT I OFFICE.

FRANK C. MERREGE, OF MARINE CITY, MICHIGAN.

CARBURETER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,539, dated May 10, 1904.

Application filed Iuly27,1903- $erial No. 167,215. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. MERREGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marine City, in the county of St. Clair and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Carbureter, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in carbureters.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a novel form of carburetor in which an automatically-operating pump serves to force a continuous stream of air into contact with an absorbent material saturated with gasolene or similar hydrocarbon and then store the same in a gasometer, provision being made for the mixture of any desired proportion of air with the gas or saturated air while the latter is passing to the gasometer in order to form a burning mixture of any desired quality.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of carbureter in which a strip ofburlap or similar absorbent material is supported on a spirally-disposed partition formed of metal or similar material to prevent the passing of gas or air therethrough, and in this connection a further object is to provide a simple form of carbureter in which the absorbent material may be readily placed in position and renewed with but little inconvenience when necessary.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an air-pump and bell with a novel form of inlet-valve for controlling of the passage of air during the suction-stroke of the bell and for automatically closing the inlet during the downward and compression movement of said bell.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described,

illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and I particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and

minor details of the structure may be made,

without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the inventlon.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of a carbureter constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view of one of the plates or disks employed for carrying the absorbent material in the carbureting-chambers. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the partitions of the carbureting-cham- 'bers.

quality of gas to be manufactured. The carbureting-chambers are connected to a gasolene-supply tank 7 which is preferably placed underground and is provided with a fillingpipe 8, having a removable cap or cover 9. The filling-pipe is surrounded by a vent 10, also closed by said cap or cover and permitting the escape of air from the tank during the filling operation.

In the two carbureting-tanks a constant level of gasolene is maintained, the liquid being of a depth about one-half the vertical height of the chamber, and chamber 4 communicates with chamber 5 through a centrally-disposed tube 11 in order that partlysaturated gas from chamber 4 may be conducted through the chamber 5 and again brought into contact with absorbent material saturated with gasolene.

Each of the carbureting-chambers contains a disk or plate 12 of a shape conforming to that of the chamber and which may be formed of wood or other material. This plate carries a plurality of pins13, arranged in a spiral line and serving as supports for a substantially spiral partition 1 forming a tortuous passage for the air to be carbureted. These partitions are each formed of a continuous strip of zinc or similar material 15, serving maintained in saturated condition by capillary attraction. The air enters through an inlet 17 to the lower chamber 4 and passes through the spiral passage in said chamber to the central outlet, through which it is discharged to the central portion of the carbureting-chamber and is again brought into contact with the absorbent material therein, passing finally through an outlet 18 to a gasometer.

The gasometer-bell 19 is arranged within a casing 20, that forms an extension of the carbureter-casing and is provided with a number of openings 21, through which air enters and for convenience in placing weights on the gasometer-bell when necessary. The lower open edge of the bell is immersed in water in the usual manner and a service-pipe 22 leads from the interior of the bell to the point of consumption. The gas escaping at 18 from the carbureting-chamber is led through a pipe 23 to a casing 24, having an open top that forms a valve-seat. This casing has a transversely-disposed partition 24, perforated to permit the passage of gas and air, and having a central orifice forming a guide for a valvestem 25, carrying a valve 26, adapted to the valve-seat on the casing. The valve is connected to the gasometer-bell, preferably, by a flexible chain 27 the connection being such that when the bell is raised to its highest point the valve will automatically close and prevent the admittance of further gas or air.

The air to be carbureted enters through pipe 17, and said pipe has a branch 29 leading to the chamber 2 1, and there is a valve 30 in the branch pipe, so that the quantity of air admitted to the casing may be regulated. The gas issuing from pipe 23 and the air entering through pipe 29 pass together through the perforations of the partition in the mixingchamber and are partly intermingled before passing into the gasometer.

At a point above the casing 20 is a watertank 32, in which is inserted a movable airbell 33, the lower end of the bell being open and immersed in the water. The upper end of the bell is connected to a piston-rod 34, that extends into the hydraulic cylinder 3 and is provided with a piston 35, so that when water or similar fluid under pressure is admitted to the lower end of the cylinder the piston and the bell will be forced upward.

At a convenient point on one side of the tank 32 is secured a valve-casing 36, through which leads a water-pipe 37 from a source of water-supply under a suitable head or pressure to elevate the air-bell, and from this casing extends a water-pipe 38, leadingto the lower end of the hydraulic cylinder. The valve-casing is further provided with a Waterescape pipe 39, through which water may flow from the hydraulic cylinder when the slide-valve 40, contained within the casing, is properly adjusted. The v'a'lve40 is connected to an operating-lever 41, said lever being pivoted at one end to a stud or bracket 42, carried by pipe 38, and the opposite end of said lever being bifurcated and embracing an operating-rod 43, depending from the airbell. The rod 43 carries two lugs or tappets 44-, one of which engages the lever 41 when the bell descends and the other engages said lever 41 when the bell ascends, and in this manner the valve is adjusted to proper position. When the bell is elevated and is full of air, the lower tappet serves to shift the valve to such position as to permit the water to flow from the hydraulic cylinder through the discharge-pipe 39 and the air-bell slowly descends and forces the air out through the pipe 17 to the carbureting-chambers, a suitable valve 45 being introduced in the pipe in order to prevent backflow of gas to the bell. When the bell has descended to its lowest position, the upper tappet operates and the valve is adjusted to position to allow water to flow into the hydraulic cylinder and elevate the piston and the bell.

The air-bell is provided with an inlet-pipe 50, leading from the upper portion of the casing surrounding the gasometer-bell, and on top of this pipe, which extends slightly above the water-level, is a valve 51, having a stem suitably guided in spiders or cross-bars carried by the pipe. From this valve extends a disk or flange 52, having a pendent annulus 53, formed of cork or similar material, provided with a number of openings 54 to permit the passage of air when raised above the waterlevel. During outward movement of the bell the air-pressure serves by acting on disk 52 to keep the valve in closed position; but during upward movement the pressure is relieved and the buoyant cork or similar material will allow the valve to rise and permit the inflow of air.

To prevent tipping of the bells, the upper bell is provided with a vertically-disposed guiding-rod 55, adapted to a guiding-opening in a suitable bracket arranged inside the tank 32. and in the chamber that surrounds the gasometer-bell is a central rod 56, passing thrfugh a tube or sleeve 57 carried by the bel In operation air enters the air-bell through pipe 50 during the upward movement of the bell and until the lower tappet comes into engagement with the valve-shifting lever, at which time the valve is adjusted to such position as to open the connection between the hydraulic cylinder and outlet 39. As the ITO ' Water under pressure gradually leaves the cylinder, the air Will be forced out from the bell through pipe 17, and thence through the carbureting-chambers and after being carbureted enters the gasometer. A portion of this air, as previously described, may lead through pipe 29 and mingle With the saturated air or gas immediately in advance of its entrance to the gas-bell.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed is 1. In a carbureter, a hydrocarbon-chamber, a disk or plate arranged therein, a plurality of pins carried by the plate and arranged in a spiral line, and a partition Wound upon the pins and provided With a covering of absorbent material.

2. The combination with a chamber containing hydrocarbon, of a disk or plate, a plurality of pins carried thereby and arranged in aspiral line, and a strip of metal coveredon both of its sides by a layer of absorbent mathereinto, a discharge-pipe leading from the carbureting-chamber, to the mixing-chamber, and a valved branch pipe leading from said main air-pipe to said mixing-chamber.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my oWn I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

FRANK (J. MERREGE. Witnesses:

J. Ross COLHOUN, J N0. E. PARKER. 

